Gold discovery rocks miners

UNDERGROUND miners in outback Western Australia have unearthed rare gold specimens geologists are calling a “once-in-a-lifetime discovery”.

Workers at the Beta Hunt mine near the town of Kambalda, 630km east of Perth, have brought more than $15 million worth of gold specimens to the surface in four days.

The gold-encrusted rocks were found about 500m below the surface in an area 3m wide and 3m high.

The largest specimen weighs in at 90kg and took three men to lift it on to the back of a ute.

The quartz rock is covered in an estimated 2300 ounces of gold, worth about $3.8 million at today’s gold price.

Another 60kg specimen is estimated to contain 1600 ounces, or about $2.6 million in gold.

Senior geologist Zaf Thanos said in most mines around the world it was only possible to see gold through a magnifying glass.

“You might go your whole life and you’ll never see anything like it. It’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime discovery,” Mr Thanos said.

“This sort of bonanza zone is incredibly unique.”

The rich cluster of highgrade gold has so far produced more than 9000 ounces.

Kambalda miner Henry Dole is credited with the discovery, describing it as hitting the “mother lode”.

“I’ve been an airleg miner for 16 years. Never in my life have I ever seen anything like this,” Mr Dole said.

“There was chunks of gold in the face, on the ground, truly unique I reckon.

“I nearly fell over looking at it . . . we were picking it up for hours.”

The mine’s Canadian owner, RNC Minerals, is planning an auction.

RNC president Mark Selby said collectors were known to pay up to a 50 per cent premium on the gold metal value for rare specimens.